Now, it’s hard to know how management is going to attack this off-season but, as this campaign approaches its depressing conclusion, one thing is clear. The faithful are ready for whatever comes next as long as it’s something different. The Trevor Linden-Jim Benning management team has failed miserably in their stated goal of providing a supporting environment for their younger players, but if they’re waiting for the perfect time to start integrating prospects into the lineup, we might not see Thatcher Demko play a game until he’s 27.

For the Canucks, the future has arrived and if that’s not consistent with, ahem, the larger plan, too bad. The organization can’t possibly expect their fan base to sit through another season like this with the same cast of veterans delivering, presumably, the same results. Those fans want to see what tomorrow looks like. They want to see if there’s any reason to believe in this management team. Whatever runway the Canucks were hoping to build for their prospects has been torn apart by these last three seasons.

The faithful aren’t expecting much. At the very least, they expect to see the kids in the lineup next season.

If you expose a player in an expansion draft who scores 40 the next season you should auto-lose your job. I know player evaluation is hard but I don’t think most guys wouldn’t even be mad. “Yeah I know, I’m fired, that’s fair.”

In his last two full seasons with Columbus, Karlsson played in 162 game, 15 goals and 45 points combined.

This year with the VGK, 39 goales and 65 points.

added 9:49am,

What about the personnel men on 29 other teams who saw Karlsson's name on expansion list and didn't advocate making a trade. Do they have some explaining to do - or is this a complete fluke? https://t.co/2nesZkbdJ0

They haven’t won a game in three weeks. They can’t score, can’t keep the puck out of their net, and just as it appears they’re building momentum, it’s the opponent who grabs it.

After Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center, Henrik Zetterberg talked about not letting the frustration suffocate them.

“Guys are working hard,” he said. “They put the time in non-game days and we prepare ourselves for every game. But, it almost makes it a little tougher that we have lost 10 in a row.

“We’re so far back, but every time you put on the Red Wing logo, you go out and play as hard as you can.”...

The Wings are fourth from last place in the NHL. The losing will lead to better draft lottery odds, which is a positive. The challenge is to make it a learning experience for the group that’s going through it. The Wings return home to play Philadelphia Tuesday. It will be the 10th straight game against an opponent that has something to play for, either shoring up a playoff spot or securing home ice advantage.

What’s to learn from that?

“How hard every game is as you get as you get down to the end of the year here,” coach Jeff Blashill said.

The celebration over a hard-fought win that brought the Winnipeg Jets a step closer to locking up a playoff spot was muted Sunday night as another key member of the team went down with what looks like a troubling injury.

For all the excitement coming out of a 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars at Bell MTS Place, there was also obvious concern over the health of defenceman Jacob Trouba, who left in the third period after a thunderous collision — with contact to the head — with Stars captain Jamie Benn.

Trouba tried to get to his feet but fell over after taking the hit, had to be helped onto the bench and went straight down the tunnel to the dressing room, presumably for concussion protocol....

Jets coach Paul Maurice said there will be no official diagnosis until Monday but it’s obviously concerning because there was head-to-head contact between Benn and Trouba.

“I had a lousy seat there on the other side of the boards, but they both came together and it was helmet on helmet,” he said.

“I’ve seen it happen before to players and they bounce back pretty quick.”

There will be a lot on the general managers’ plates this week, including:

- A review of the offside rules, with a potential change where a skate over the plane of the blue line would count as onside;

- An update on possible expansion to Seattle;

- A review of how teams use long-term injured relief, according to Hockey Night in Canada. That could be an issue for the Maple Leafs, who have parked Joffrey Lupul there for two seasons.

The general managers may also voice their opinion to change the playoff format, but that would be a matter commissioner Gary Bettman would have to run by the owners and get approval from the players via the collective bargaining agreement.

The league can’t change any rules mid-season following this meeting, but it can change how rules are interpreted.

About Kukla’s Korner

Kukla’s Korner is updated around the clock with the work of our own talented bloggers, plus links to the best hockey writing around the internet. We strive to bring you all the breaking hockey news as it happens.

The home page allows you to see the latest postings from every blog on the site. Subscribe here. For general inquiries and more, please contact us anytime.